brightangelblog

Back from first part of vacation. We visited Becky in the Dalles until her generator caught on fire. Honestly, if she wanted us to leave all she had to do was ask... So we went to John Day, which everyone had told me I absolutely had to see. We hiked in all three units of the park. Not a lot of fossils in situ, but a great museum.

Then to Bend. Spent two days in Newberry caldura. Hiked 14 miles one day, up the peak and around half the crater. Then came back to climb the obsidian mountain, a small crater, and walk to the hot springs. we asked the ranger so many questions that he dragged-us outside to show us where the 10,000 year old pit-house was found. Since the middle crater in the lake grew about 7,000 years ago, there may have been people to watch.

A day at the High desert museum, and two days at Smith Rock. The birthplace of sport climbing, as we found out.

Back to the Dalles. We wanted to hike Coyote Wall, but could not see the turnoff, so we got permits to climb Dog Mountain. Dog is so popular that they limit permits to 150 people a day on weekends, and a shuttle is available to the trailhead. A nice steep climb, but no fun on the way down. Everyone in Oregon hikes with at least one dog and usually more. All of them were polite (the dogs) but hiking with a dog in tick country? We found Coyote wall on the way back. The sign was obvious. I guess they ran out after we passed it the first time and put the sign up. Spent one day going to museums, then back to Coyote Wall and back to Dog Mountain. Most of the good hikes (ie, lots of elevation) were closed because of landslide danger from the fire last year.

They knew exactly who started the fire, because hikers told him not to throw the fireworks into the forest just before he did so. The kid has been fined with an amount he cannot possibly pay back. I think he should sit at the trailhead and have to tell people why they can't hike in there.

After hiking in the ticks and the poison oak, I am glad to be back with the scorpions and the rattlers.